All Aunt Hermione's Fault
by jennyelf
Summary: When Harry and Ginny's twins get ahold of Aunt Hermione's new and improved Time-Turner and return to the past, how will being presented with their future children affect Harry and Ginny?
1. Turning Through Time

A/N: This was written for the SIYE Twin Travel Challenge. Many thanks to SpenserHemingway from SIYE for serving as my beta.

Disclaimer: I, alas, am not the wonderful JKR. As much as I rub the lamp, no genie will pop out.

Chapter 1--Turning through Time

August 13, 1995 -- The Burrow

The Burrow looked exactly like it always did to Harry–-wonderful; a true home. It was a place where everyone's birthday was celebrated. Everyone, except for the pompous git Percy, was there to celebrate Ginny's fourteenth birthday. It was times like these when Harry wished that he could truly call it his home and never return to Privet Drive again. Right then, however, he could not be bothered to stop laughing to wish much of anything.

Fred and George were being their typical selves and creating many laughs through their tale of an experiment gone awry. They were secretly pleased when Harry fell out of his chair at the kitchen table laughing. Their goal for the summer was to provide Harry with a few laughs, just as he had requested when giving them his prize money for their joke shop.

As Harry was pulling himself up off the floor and back into his seat, a loud pop came from the living room. A feeling of dread and fear crept up Harry's spine as he flashed back in his mind to when all the Death Eaters had Apparated to surround Voldemort and him. For a moment, Harry was stuck in the past. He quickly shook his head to dispel the memory and glanced around the small kitchen. Everyone had their wands in their hands displaying the constant vigilance that the fake Moody had drummed into all the Hogwarts students' heads. The sound of young children's voices came through from the living room.

"What in the world…?" Molly Weasley muttered. Mr. Weasley held a finger to his lips as he carefully crept to the doorway. Bill, Charlie, Ron and Harry shadowed him as Fred and George snuck out the back door to circle around to the windows of the living room.

As Mr. Weasley peeked around the door to see what was going on, the two children spotted him.

"Grandpa! James did it. I swear. I was just watching to see what would happen," a young red-haired girl asserted.

"Well, Lily told me to. I didn't think it was working," the dark-haired boy said, seeming to be very put out that he had been blamed by his sister.

Once Mrs. Weasley heard the word _Grandpa_, she flew into the living room to figure out what was going on. Upon seeing the small red-haired girl and dark-haired boy, Molly crumpled into a heap on the floor with a wide-eyed, slack-jawed look on her face. Hermione and Ginny had followed Mrs. Weasley past the men into the living room, but had jerked to a stop almost like hitting an invisible wall when they saw the children. Harry sidled past the other men who had crowded around the girls, heading towards the fireplace when he finally spotted what made Bill, Charlie, Ron and the girls stop dead in their tracks. He froze on the spot. An astonished look blossomed on his face. Fred and George Apparated into the room from outside the living room window when Ron ran into George's back forcing him in turn into Fred's as the first twin had also frozen where he was once he saw the children.

In front of the occupants of the Burrow stood a boy and a girl, who both looked to be about six or seven. The boy, who everyone assumed was named James since that is what the girl called him, had messy, black hair with brown eyes that twinkled rather mischievously in the light. He was slightly shorter than the girl. The girl, who was named Lily presumably, was simply beautiful with long, flowing red hair and bright, emerald-green eyes. Hermione marveled that they looked just like Harry and Ginny, except for the eyes, as everyone was always telling Harry about his dad and him. The colors were reversed in the younger versions.

After seeing Mrs. Weasley fall to the floor, the children looked at each other, alarmed. They then peered around the room looking for someone to try to explain how all of this happened. Their eyes lit on Harry and Ginny.

James, the boy, rushed to face Harry, hoping his dad would believe his story. "Dad, I swear, it was all Lily's fault." His brown eyes pleaded with Harry. "I just picked it up because she dared me to. I didn't know what it was going to do. In fact," he sounded puzzled, "I still don't know exactly what it is we've done." As an aside for himself, he added, "So why am I explaining?"

Meanwhile, Lily raced to throw her arms around Ginny's middle. "Mum, James got a hold of the Turner Aunt Hermione has been working on. I told him not to mess with it, but he picked it up anyway. I just grabbed at the Turner as he started turning it over and over and over."

Harry stood looking at James, gobsmacked. _Did he just call him Dad? I have a son? I am only fifteen! How could I possibly have a son?_ These thoughts kept racing through Harry's mind.

With a quizzical look on her face that mirrored the one that was now on James' as he considered what had happened, Ginny stared into the eyes of the girl--eyes that looked just like the boy that Ginny had had a crush on for the past four years. She couldn't wrap her mind around what the girl was saying as she was focused on the fact that this little girl (who really was not THAT much younger than she was) was calling her Mum. _She's calling me Mum? The gorgeous little girl with Harry's eyes was calling her Mum?_ A little part of Ginny's mind whispered to herself, _You definitely know what this means, don't you?_

Hermione's mind was trying to absorb the fact that the little girl had used the word Aunt in front of her name. _Is she calling me that as an honorary title or could it be…?_ Hermione would not voice this secret desire, not even to herself.

Mr. Weasley had managed to rouse Mrs. Weasley without the use of magic. He helped her stand up and then to sit on the couch. James and Lily were continuing to ramble on to their parents about how everything was the other's fault. No one other than the young children seemed to know what to do or say or even how to go about figuring out what was going on.

Finally Harry simply said "Enough." Both James and Lily stopped talking and looked at each other. They simultaneously looked at Harry then with an expression of "Uh oh. Here comes the reckoning."

"You have some explaining to do! First, who are you? Second, who _are_ you?"

"Dad, how do you not know your own children?" James said very vehemently. Lily just looked at Harry very closely. Harry could see her taking in every detail about his appearance.

"James, he looks like a younger version of Dad, doesn't he? I mean, isn't Dad taller and I don't know, more" She gestured with her hands, struggling to come up with the right words. "Bigger, I guess? Plus, he has different glasses. I know that Mum made him change them since their wedding, but these are like the ones in their wedding pictures." Lily then inspected everyone. "Everyone looks younger, even Grandmum. So wait…what year is this?"

"You know you really are spending way much too time with Aunt Hermione," James hissed at his sister.

"Well, you spend too much with Uncle George," Lily retorted and proceeded to stick her tongue out at her brother.

"Whoa. I...we look younger?" Ginny asked.

"Ginny, I don't think that is the most important question to be answered right now, do you?" Mr. Weasley said. "Now, children, what are your names?"

"He's James Arthur Potter," Lily said.

"She's Lily Ginevra Potter," James said.

"We're twins," they chorused together.

"Cool!" Fred and George stated.

Upon hearing "Cool!" the younger twins turned to the older ones. Both of the younger twins did a double take. "Uncle George! Uncle Fred?" James said quite astounded.

"Well, munchkins, it looks like you know me, your Uncle George"

"Maybe…but not me, your equally mischievous and devilishly handsome Uncle Fred?"

"Wait, children, don't tell us any more yet. We don't know how much this could affect the future. Time is not something to mess with, if indeed that is what has happened. Now let's find out more about you, Lily and James. How old are you?" Mrs. Weasley beamed at them, equally proud and surprised at the names of the children.

"We just turned six a little less than two weeks ago. Dad calls us his belated birthday present from Mum since she started giving birth to us on his birthday, but we weren't born until the day after," Lily responded.

"And I'm your Mum? So wait, how old am I now?" Ginny asked.

"If you are Ginevra Molly Weasley Potter, then you are our Mum. You just turned twenty-five two days ago. That's why we're all here at The Burrow. We're celebrating your birthday," James replied.

"Well, my last name is not Potter and I ONLY just turned fourteen years old two days ago." Ginny turned to look at Fred and George with her arms crossed and tapped her foot repeatedly. "All right, how did you do it? How did you manage to make them look like us? Aren't you going a little far with the pranks this summer?"

"But Ginny, I swear, we didn't do anything. Besides, how would we have gotten them in here? Kids this age can't Apparate!" Fred tried to calm his sister down by going to her and rubbing her arms.

Ginny then turned to Harry and pleaded. "I mean, they can't possibly be our children, can they?"

Upon hearing this from their mother, the younger twins both burst into tears. Realizing her mistake, Ginny grabbed the nearest child, who happened to be James as she had moved herself around during her outburst. She gave him a Molly Weasley-style hug and started to comfort him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. You just need to understand that this is a huge shock. Your father…" Here Ginny looked at Harry with a look of wonderment on her face. "…and I are not even dating. Your dad has never had feelings for me like that."

James started to dry his tears, looking at his mum. "You mean you haven't finished your fifth year of Hogwarts yet?"

"No, I am getting ready to start my fourth," Ginny said with a smile.

Harry, meanwhile, seeing his young daughter crying, had gathered her in his arms and sat with her on his lap. "Oh, please, Lily. Don't cry. I really don't know how to take it if you cry. Please help your dear old Dad out. I mean, I don't know what to do." About the same time as James was drying his tears, Lily started drying hers. Lily heard her mum's response to her brother's question.

"Oh, no wonder! I mean, that means that Dad is getting ready to start his fifth year. He has that crush on Cho Chang this year. He probably doesn't even realize that Mum is a girl yet," Lily said with a laugh. Harry started turning red as his daughter mentioned Cho Chang. Ginny thought how cute Harry was when he blushed. She marveled at how quickly the twins' spirits lightened.

"How do you know all this?" Hermione asked Lily.

"Well, Mum has told us the story of how she and Dad got together as a bedtime story. Plus, I spent a lot of time with you, Aunt Hermione. You see, when Uncle Ron makes you mad, you sometimes just mutter about how he has the emotional range of a teaspoon and then you just tell me stories of your time at Hogwarts. It is how you calm down," Lily responded shyly.

"She remembers everything. Elephants have nothing on her, okay?" James muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Gee, James, sounds like you have twin issues. Do we need to give you pointers?" Fred offered, throwing his arm over James' shoulder.

Bill, who until this point had been pacing around the room listening, jumped into the conversation at this point. "Okay, if you are who you say you are, how on earth did you get here at this time?"

"Well…" James drew out the word as he squirmed in true Weasley fashion. He rocked side to side in front of his Mum. "You see," as he chewed on his lower lip and wrung his hands, "Aunt Hermione brought something from work to show Dad. Apparently, she needed help with it."

Ron spluttered, "Hermione, need help? Since when?"

"My help? Why would she need my help? Please…" Harry scoffed at the very idea of Hermione needing his assistance.

"Well, Dad; Aunt Hermione needed your help in muffling the pop that the Time-Turner creates when one appears in time as she is creating these Turners for your department," Lily countered.

"Department? What department?" Charlie asked.

"Dad is an Auror. In fact, he is the head of the Aurors, just like I am going to be when I grow up." Turning to his dad, James added rather proudly, "You took it over when Uncle Kingsley became Minister of Magic."

"Slow down," Hermione interjected. "Lily, you said that I'm creating these Turners. Why? I mean, the Ministry already has loads of them," Hermione questioned with a furrowed look on her face.

"No, actually, they don't--not anymore. The Ministry hasn't had any since the end of your fifth year. You see, Dad, Mum, you, Uncle Ron, Aunt Luna and Uncle Neville went to the Department of Mysteries for something. You never told me why. You claimed I was too little to know yet. Well, we'll just say that, according to you, all the Time-Turners were destroyed during that trip."

"See, I told you she remembers everything. Merlin, that is so annoying!" James said to Uncle George or was it Fred?.

Until this point, Molly and Arthur were sitting on the sofa simply stunned. They were more than willing to let their children figure out this perplexing puzzle. However, once the Department of Mysteries was mentioned, the Weasley parents were spurred into action. They briefly conferred in the corner, trying to figure out what to do with these twins. They felt that they especially needed to speak to Dumbledore about the fact that the twins had mentioned the Department of Mysteries. Maybe they really needed to head back to Order Headquarters.

"So where is this Time-Turner now?" Bill asked the twins. James pulled it out from under his shirt and showed it to everyone. It was on a long gold chain. The gold Time-Turner had a tiny hourglass in the middle, which was surrounded by four moveable, concentric rings.

"This looks different from the device that I used in third year," Hermione said, inspecting it from all angles after James had handed it to her.

"Well, of course, you had to create it from scratch," Lily answered with a yawn.

"I would not be surprised to know that you actually improved on the original design," Ron inserted.

"Well, we can't get anything more accomplished tonight. Children, I think it is time for bed. Lily and James, you can stay in your Uncle Percy's room. Everyone else, it has been a long day. Let's go to sleep and we can deal with everything in the morning," Mrs. Weasley suggested.

"Mum, are you going to tuck us in? Dad, will you read us a story?" Lily and James pleaded with their parents. Harry looked at Ginny with an apprehensive look on his face. He had never been read to as a child, so he didn't know any stories to tell. He didn't have any books there. Molly, noticing the look on Harry's face and realizing what it meant, asked the children if they would allow their grandmother to put them to bed as it would be the first time she ever put any of her grandchildren to sleep.

"I guess," Lily and James chorused together, obviously reluctant to change what seemed to be a bedtime tradition.

As Molly took them upstairs to get ready for bed, mumbling something about having to transfigure nightclothes, the rest of the occupants sat in the living room in stunned silence.

"Well…" Mr. Weasley said, "that was interesting." His eyes scanned around the room taking in everyone's facial expressions. There was such a range of emotions-- from Hermione's look of confusion to Bill and Charlie's look of astonishment. Fred and George were positively gleeful, no doubt trying to come up with ways to prank their sister and Harry, whereas Ron kept looking from his sister to his best mate as if trying to divine their futures beyond what was already evident. Then Mr. Weasley looked at the two who would be the most affected by this turn of events. Ginny had a look of dawning awareness of joys to come, which was evidenced by the beaming smile on her face. The reaction Mr. Weasley wanted to see most though was Harry's. Harry's face, which normally hid his emotions well, had a look of complete and utter shock with what looked like a little fear thrown in. Mr. Weasley wished that he could determine what caused the look of fear, but he knew that Harry would never reveal his fears to him.

"Interesting?" Charlie exclaimed. "Dad, a forty-foot Hungarian Horntail is interesting. This…. This is bizarre."

"Well, bizarre it may be, but as your mother said, not much more can be done tonight. I imagine this has been a shock for all of us. Let's just go to bed. We'll have to make some decisions in the morning," Mr. Weasley replied.

At this, everyone made their way up the stairs. At the first floor, Hermione and Ginny broke off to go into their room while the boys continued up the stairs. Hermione and Ginny got ready for bed and slipped in between the sheets.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Ginny?"

"Am I dreaming?"

"No, Ginny. So how does it feel to know that your deepest desires will come true?" Hermione said softly.

Ginny paused before answering, "I just feel like this is not real. I mean, Harry has never even noticed me. I gave up on him. That's why I am with Michael. But how can I be with Michael if Harry and I…?" Ginny just let her thought die off. "We'll just have to see what happens tomorrow."

"Good night, Ginny." With that, the girls turned over and went to sleep.  


* * *

Ron and Harry got ready for bed in absolute silence. After they had both crawled in their beds and gotten comfortable, Harry broke the silence.

"You know, it is very disconcerting," Harry stated as he lay on the bed with his right arm thrown behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

"First, stop channeling Hermione or even Percy, the git, with the big words. Now what is disconcerting?" Ron asked, looking over at Harry.

"Being confronted by your children, when you have not even kissed anyone yet."


	2. Hermione's Fault

Chapter Two--Hermione's Fault

August 13, 2006--The Burrow

Ginny Potter slumped into a chair beside her husband, feeling absolutely drained. Harry was trying to eat the dessert Mrs. Weasley had saved for him, but after every bite, his head would slowly sink to his chest, eyes closed. He would then jerk himself awake.

"Remind me again--why did I say I wanted another one?" Ginny lamented to Harry, running her hand into her hair in an effort to hold up her head.

"Let's see. I believe you said 'Oh, Harry, we have so much love to give. Let's have another baby.' Apparently my wife forgot exactly how much work a baby is and how little sleep parents of a newborn get," Harry responded with a long yawn.

"Well, you didn't say anything either. Must be you forgot as well," Ginny replied grumpily.

"What can I say? I love my wife. I would do anything for her--fight Basilisks, kill a Dark wizard, die for her."

"Oh, Harry, I love you, too." Ginny leaned over to put her head on Harry's shoulder. "I love Sirius as well. He is a perfect miniature of you, but I do wish he would learn to sleep for longer than two hours at a time." Ginny abruptly sat up and looked around suspiciously. "Where are the twins? It's far too quiet in there."

At that moment, sounds of an argument erupted from the living room. Ginny stood to go in there. She looked back over her shoulder at Harry, who had finally succumbed to sleep. He was slumped over the table, his face lying in the middle of the empty plate with his glasses askew. Running her hand through his hair, Ginny murmured, "You are such a wonderful father, Harry, but don't think this means that you can get out of waking up for your turns tonight. Thank Merlin; you took some time off from work. I think we would all be batty by now if you hadn't."

The argument in the living room was evidently escalating as the voices were getting louder and louder. Ginny couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but she figured that was a good thing as hopefully Sirius wouldn't start crying again.

"James Arthur Potter! Lily Ginevra Potter!" Ginny hissed, walking into the living room. "You are going to wake up your baby brother! Can you never stop your arguing?" As she entered the room, Ginny saw her oldest children pulling on something and suddenly disappear. Ginny screamed, sinking to her knees. "Where…where have they gone?! My children…Harry!"

Harry rushed into the living room, wand stretched out in front of him. His hair was standing straight up on the side that had been in the plate and crumbs of treacle tart clung to his cheek. Harry made some motions with his wand, apparently with the intent of checking for any untold magic. When his scans came up clear, he rushed to his wife of more than six years and gathered her in his arms. He sat on the couch and tucked Ginny into his lap.

"What happened? I heard you scream. Didn't you just put Sirius down, or was I dreaming?" Harry asked very softly, trying to calm down his wife by rubbing circles on her back.

Hermione and Ron Weasley sprinted into the room a few seconds behind Harry. "What happened?" Ron queried as he made his way there. He knew how exhausted his sister and Harry were from taking care of the new baby, but still it wasn't like Ginny to get hysterical.

"James and Lily! They just disappeared! They were here when I walked in, but they… they just vanished, like someone used _Evanesco_ on them or something." As Ginny cried out an explanation rather hysterically, Hermione looked around the room as if searching for something.

"Oh no! No! No!" Hermione shook her head back and forth slowly. "Ginny, I think this is entirely my fault," Hermione sighed heavily and stared down at the floor.

"Your fault? How could Lily and James disappearing possibly be your fault Hermione? We know you wouldn't do anything to your goddaughter. James, well, that's a different story," Harry pondered.

Hermione sighed again before adding, "Because I was stupid enough to bring along a piece of work to ask for your help, Harry. I forgot that your twins are just like their parents, twin uncles and most especially like their Grandfather Potter--into everything." As Hermione was saying this, George appeared in the doorway of the living room.

"So what was this piece of work, and how did it make my children disappear?" Ginny demanded from her sister-in-law, looking thoroughly spent. Harry looked from his wife to his sister-in-law with a deeply worried look on his face. Ginny had been having a rough couple of weeks since the birth of their third child. She looked like she might collapse at any moment. Harry worried that she might not be able to withstand any potential problems that might crop up in this situation. Normally, her face would have her traditional blazing look on it, but now it was devoid of any emotion.

"Um, um." Harry hadn't seen Hermione this nervous since her wedding to Ron. "Well, it looks like they used the Time-Turner I had brought to get Harry's help with."

"Time-Turner? Like what we used to save Sirius in third year?" Harry asked with a furrowed brow.

"Wait. I thought all of those were destroyed during our trip to the Ministry during my fourth year," Ginny said with a confused look. Hermione preferred Ginny to be confused rather than mad as she was less likely to hex someone. However, she knew that she had better explain, even though she really wasn't supposed to talk about her work as an Unspeakable.

"They were destroyed. However, when I began working in the D.O.M., I was assigned the task of creating new Time-Turners to replace the ones that were broken. I got the assignment because I had actually used the device before and had some knowledge as to how they worked," Hermione responded.

"But why would you need my help? I mean, how could I possibly help you with this? I never took Arithmancy or anything like that."

"Harry, love, _focus_. Do we really need to know all this?" Ginny apparently was getting her second wind as the _look_ appeared on her face. She turned to Hermione, "What do we have to do to find my children and bring them home if they used this Time-Turner?"

"Well, it won't be hard to find where they are as Time-Turners only manipulate time, not space. So they would have appeared in the living room. I think the real problem is _when_ they are," Hermione explained.

"What do you mean? Didn't it go back a few hours like we did third year?"

"It is possible that they just went back a few hours, but I think we would remember two sets of the twins being here. No, the Time-Turner I created is slightly different from the device we used. The new one has four settings--minutes, hours, days, or years. I haven't quite figured out how to use more than one setting at a time yet."

"Obviously, they didn't go back minutes or hours, but what about days or years? How will we know?' Ron interjected. His years as an Auror were paying off as he methodically thought through the problem. Harry was known to say around the office that the best day of his life as an Auror was when Ron married Hermione because since the wedding, Ron seemed to share some of Hermione's brains.

"It can't have been days because we have been here for the past two weeks getting Mum and Dad's help with the kids. Honestly, I think it is more probable that they went back years," Harry said, slipping into full investigative mode. "Hermione, how do we find out what year and how do we get the twins back?"

"One of us has been here around this date every year for as long as she can remember. Ginny, have you ever seen the twins before?"

"Not in the way you mean. Trust me. I would remember if I had seen them, but why are you assuming they went to the past? Couldn't they have gone into the future?"

"Time-Turners can't go into the future. There are too many possible outcomes. They can only go into the past where events are set," Hermione said.

"But if you change something in the past, it changes the future, right?" Ron inquired.

"It can, but not always," George piped up, pushing himself off of the doorway. The quartet startled as they didn't realize that George had been standing there listening to the conversation.

"What do you mean, George?"

"Think about it like this. Did Harry and Hermione know what would happen because they saved Sirius? No. What they did changed things that happened after they arrived back in the infirmary. Now let me know if I am wrong Hermione, but since the twins went back in time, nothing they do can change the events that led them to this point in time."

"How do you know so much about it, George?" Ginny wondered.

"I told Fred and my younger self when I went back to get the twins."

Harry quickly cast an Imperturbable Charm on the room as he saw the warning signs of an explosion from his wife. Ginny stood up and placed her hands on her hips, in a Molly Weasley-style stance.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN--YOU TOLD YOURSELF?! YOU KNEW MY CHILDREN WERE GOING TO GO BACK IN TIME AND YOU DID NOTHING?!" Ginny shrieked at George. She pulled out her wand, brandishing it like a cutlass.

"Now Ginny, calm down. I'll explain everything." George sighed as Ginny was pulled back onto her husband's lap by two strong arms. However, her wand was still out, promising retribution if she didn't like what came next.

"I'm listening," Ginny said rather reluctantly.

"Well, after much discussion, in 1995, which is when the kids are, Dumbledore told Fred and I that if we changed anything and, I mean, _anything_ that happened then there could be serious repercussions. I was told that I must allow everything to happen exactly like before." George raised his eyes to meet Ginny's. "Do you understand what this has cost me? I knew that Fred was going to die, but I couldn't stop it because there was a chance that if I saved him, we would have lost Harry or someone else. I couldn't take that chance. As much as I miss my twin, I wouldn't take the chance of subjecting this world to a life filled with Voldemort. We talked about this quite a bit actually, Fred and me."

"But why you, George? Why not one of us? Why couldn't we go back?" Harry asked, evidence of his guilt and grief that his brother-in-law had to silently live through everything with the knowledge of what was going to happen written clearly on his face.

"Because if one of you were to go back, it could irreparably change the timeline. With me, I had secondhand knowledge of all the crucial aspects, but only firsthand knowledge of parts of the Final Battle. Plus, think about it. Would any of you be able to resist telling Sirius what happened in the Department of Mysteries, knowing how his loss affects Harry? I _can't_ tell him because I wasn't there. I know approximately what happened, but I can't tell anyone specific enough things that could irreparably change what has happened. Harry, Ron, Hermione, you three are the only ones who know exactly what happened on the Horcrux hunt. Ginny, you remember the incident at the D.O.M., plus you need to stay with your baby. These are the reasons _I need to be the one to go back,_" George ended with a mischievous smile. "Plus I have to save my godson."

"Right. So how do we send you back?" Ron inquired, apparently understanding and agreeing with the evidence that George had presented.

"Well, Hermione will have to go to the D.O.M. in the morning to get the device that allows one to go back in time and return back to the same moment that they left."

"Wait, Hermione, I thought you said Time-Turners can't go into the future," Ginny said.

"They can't go into the future that hasn't happened yet for the user," she explained. "However, you can return to the time you left if you go backwards in time first. It has taken me more than a year to figure that one out. It's all about maintaining the timeline, like George said."

"So how is it that we don't remember our children paying us a visit… in what the summer before my fifth year?" Harry asked George.

"Well, we had to _Obliviate_ all of you so that the timeline wouldn't be destroyed" George told him. "They arrived the day we were at the Burrow celebrating Ginny's birthday. You know, the day after your hearing at the Ministry. It was fortunate that we were even there when the twins arrived considering that we only went home to celebrate because Ginny wanted to so badly. Certain things happened during the time the twins were there, which did lead to future events that had to happen, but it wasn't time for it yet. I gave the Order and most particularly Dumbledore some crucial information when I went back, which they never would have gotten if I didn't let your twins stumble back. I told Dumbledore about when Harry's private lessons should start and even where the ring Horcrux was. I knew some integral parts that seemed rather minor, but ended up helping in the long run. Dumbledore, Fred, Sirius and I were the only ones who didn't have the _Memory Charm_ placed on us."

"Why not?" Ron demanded to know.

"Because George had to remember to know when to go back," Hermione answered with a look of concentration on her face. "Fred, I am assuming, because George would never have been able to keep a secret from him. Sirius--why Sirius George?" .

"Sirius wanted to know that his godson survived and was happy. He wanted to be able to tell Lily and James, your parents, about meeting Lily and James, your children. Dumbledore didn't because he needed the information I provided to help Harry win."

"George, you said Hermione needed to go in the morning. Why can't she go now? She can Apparate there and be back in a jiff," Harry stated.

"One, I can't go back in time until tomorrow. I have to be there for the Order meeting at Headquarters. Two, Hermione can't Apparate right now."

"Of course, she can Apparate. She's the brightest witch of her age," Ron said.

"Actually, Ron, I should in fact not be Apparating right now. Oh, this isn't how I planned on telling you," Hermione said with a small groan. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "Apparition isn't good for the baby."

"Baby? What baby?" Harry watched his best mate as the look on his face went from one of complete confusion to wonderment to absolute joy. "Hermione? Are we having a baby?" Ron questioned ever so softly.

"Yes," Hermione nodded.

Ron grabbed Hermione and twirled her around. After spinning a couple of times, he lowered her to the floor while kissing her gently. Ron laid his forehead against hers and softly whispered, "I love you so much, 'Mione."

"On that note, my gorgeous sister and wonderful investor, let us depart for bed," George said, wanting to let Ron and Hermione be off in their own little world.

"But George, are the twins okay? Is it safe for them to be where they are?" Ginny questioned her brother.

"Ginny, they're in the best hands they could possibly be."

"Whose? Mum's?"

"No, Harry's and yours," George replied over his shoulder, climbing the stairs to his room.


	3. Facing the Future

Chapter Three-- Facing the Future

August 13-14, 1995--The Burrow

That night, Harry tried his hardest to get some well-needed rest, but the events of the day and the sultry August air that lingered in the attic room made this seem like a struggle in futility. Harry's mind kept racing over every word that these children, _his_ children, had said, as if his mind was trying every combination possible to piece together some sort of puzzle. After several hours, Harry finally drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

Harry found himself at the edge of a huge bowl the size of a swimming pool built into the ground. As he looked around in bewilderment, he noticed that this pool was located in the middle of the Burrow and all the members of the Weasley household were going about their business as if this huge silver basin dug into the floor wasn't there. Well, maybe not _all_ of the Weasleys--Ginny was there by his side whispering to Harry to _put the pieces together_.

Harry peered into the bowl as if this were the only option available to him. Where there should have been water, there was a silver, mercury-like substance that was stirring. Flashes of light in the substance grew brighter each minute which increasingly captured Harry's attention. Those flashes morphed into discernable scenes that Harry began to recognize were scenes from his own life. Harry was fascinated by it all, and before he knew it, he was being pulled into the silvery mixture as if he were a monopole magnet being attracted by his opposite.

As he plunged into the silvery mixture, Harry saw hundreds of flashes of light of varying colors and intensity. After a few seconds, the flashing subsided and Harry found himself falling into a scene he recognized--an empty classroom he had found during his first year at Hogwarts. Standing like a monolith across the room from him was an object that brought him both joy and sorrow--the Mirror of Erised. As he peered into the mirror, the familiar vision of both of his parents touching his shoulder in an act of love for their son appeared. Dumbledore materialized beside Harry and gave Harry an approving nod without saying a word, as if to say it was okay to use the mirror to figure out the events that had just transpired in Harry's life.

Harry gazed back at the mirror once again. In a moment, the image in the mirror became a blinding white light before once again becoming a silvery swirl of flashing lights. The swirl broke off to form the image of a scene from Kings Cross Station in London. Harry was pulled into the mirror and drawn into the scene, not as a participant, but as an invisible observer. This event was definitely a memory from the past just as Harry remembered it--the first time that Harry and Ron walked through the wall between Platforms Nine and Ten to get to the hidden Platform 9 3/4. He saw the Weasley family hurrying towards the portal, rushing as always. Off to the side, he spotted his younger self searching for the platform. Ginny, he noticed, saw him first. There seemed to be a glimmer of recognition in her eyes that baffled him. She didn't know who he was, did she? She watched his younger self rather intently as he asked for help from Mrs. Weasley.

Suddenly, everything and everyone around Harry shattered into tiny pieces that whirled around him like a tornado. The shards reformed recreating Harry's memory from Flourish and Blotts Bookshop before his second year. Again, as an invisible observer, he relived the scene where Malfoy ridiculed a younger Harry about not being able to go into the bookstore without making the front page. Ginny came forward telling Malfoy, 'Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!' Harry stood transfixed at the sight of a fiery Ginny Weasley standing up for him. A feeling of warmth came over him as he realized how much Ginny cared in order to face Malfoy and speak in front of Harry, which he realized she hadn't done until that point. He was quite frankly shocked that Ginny had understood how much he had hated being forced into the limelight with Lockhart.

Almost as soon as Harry had this revelation, the world around him exploded. This time he was unnerved to realize where exactly he was. It was the site of one of his worst memories to date--The Chamber of Secrets. At the foot of the statue of Slytherin was none other than Ginny Weasley, looking so pale as if she were already dead. Harry watched as his younger self threw himself beside Ginny, pleading for her not to be dead. He listened to Tom Riddle and his conversation, realizing how incredibly strong and brave Ginny was to resist Tom even a little. Harry knew what it was like trying to resist Voldemort. After all, Harry himself had resisted Voldemort's _Imperio_ curse in the graveyard.

Ever so slowly, as Harry was thinking about the conversation he had overheard and Ginny, the scenery around Harry melted into nothing. The platforms and arched glass roof of King Cross appeared surrounding Harry. He was headed back to Platform 9 ¾. Across the platform, he saw Mr. Weasley and a slightly younger version of himself lean against the portal that opened onto the Hogwarts Express platform. He hastened to join the rest of the Weasley crowd that followed Mr. Weasley and himself. Ginny, he noticed, was joined by Percy in traveling through the entrance. Harry gazed at Ginny and saw his younger self and Ginny share a look that set them to laughing. Before Harry could form a complete thought about this new memory, he was whirled out of the mirror to stand in front of the Mirror of Erised again.

Harry looked into the mirror once more. The reflection swirled back to the original image he saw--his extended family. This time, he was not just with his parents but also with Ginny by his side, holding a baby with dark, messy hair and two small children that he now recognized as Lily and James. An unspeakable joy crept over Harry that the existence of Lily and James were, or would be, ireal/i. He recalled Dumbledore telling him that images in the Mirror of Erised were not real but merely reflections of our most potent wishes and desires. However, Harry knew down to his bones that this image was, or would be, real, and this was a vastly different feeling than Harry ever had from sitting in front of this mirror before. It was with that warm and wonderful feeling that Harry woke up.

* * *

Lily and James crept down one flight of stairs to what they thought was their parents' room. However, when they got inside the door, they noticed quite a few differences. Instead of a double bed in the room, there were two beds. The walls were a different shade than they were used to and only Mum was in one bed with Aunt Hermione in the other. Seeing only girls, James figured that it meant that Dad was in Uncle Ron's room, so he simply headed off toward the attic room.

"Mum! Aunt Hermione! What is going on? Mum, why isn't Dad with you? Aunt Hermione, why aren't you with Uncle Ron?" Lily demanded with her hands on her hips.

Ginny reluctantly started to pull herself out of a wonderful dream where she was married to Harry and had adorable twin children. She heard someone talking to her, but she didn't want to leave her dream. She slowly opened her eyes. Standing beside her bed was a gorgeous redheaded girl with Harry's eyes. Ginny thought at first that she was still dreaming, but then the vision spoke.

"MUM!"

Ginny sat up immediately, saying "What…what is it? Who are you?" It was as she said this that Ginny remembered the events from the day before. "Lily, what is it?"

"Mum, where is Dad? Why is Aunt Hermione in here?" Lily asked.

"Well, Aunt Hermione always stays in my room. Your father," while saying these two words, Ginny sounded a little breathless, "is upstairs in Uncle Ron's room."

"Lily, why did you think I would be with Ron?" Hermione added. She had woken up when Lily asked the first questions, but Lily's words both confused and heartened Hermione so she didn't speak until this point.

"Well, you _are_ married to him, are you not? Normally, when we visited the Burrow, Mummy and Daddy are in here and you and Uncle Ron are in the attic room."

"Oh," was the only response Hermione could give.

Ginny smirked at the sight of a speechless Hermione. "Lily, do you know how long Hermione and Ron have been married?"

"Well," Lily started, but then stopped and placed a finger across her lips with a look of deep concentration on her face. "They were not married when James and I were born since Uncle Ron proposed at St. Mungo's when you were in labor."

"Only Ron," Hermione and Ginny chorused, sharing a look of complete understanding.

"But when we were christened on Mum and Dad's first anniversary, they were married."

"How do you know, Lily?" Ginny questioned her daughter.

"In my baby book you made, it tells the story of our christening. Listed as my godparents are Ron and Hermione Weasley."

"I'm your godmother?" Hermione squeaked.

"Well, you're definitely not James'. Mum says that Dad must have the Gift of Sight as he chose the most perfect godparents for each of his children."

"Who is James' if I'm not?"

"Uncle George and Aunt Angelina."

"George marries Angelina? Wait, didn't she go to the Ball with Fred?" Ginny asked Hermione.

"You think I can tell them apart?" Hermione gave Ginny an exasperated look.

"Mum, I'm hungry."

"I'm sure that Mum has breakfast ready downstairs. Although I don't smell anything," Ginny said.

"Well, if Grandmum doesn't have breakfast ready, can we go get Daddy? He makes the best breakfasts," Lily pleaded.

"Really? Harry fixes excellent breakfasts? How is it we never knew that?" Hermione asked.

"Please, Mum?" Lily looked at her entreatingly with those gorgeous green eyes.

"Let me get dressed first. I'm _not_ going down in my pajamas."

"Mum, Dad sees you in your pajamas every night."

"Lily, we are also married and have children at that point. However, we are only fourteen and fifteen years old. It will be years before we are married."

"Oh, all right, but hurry. I'm hungry," Lily whined.  


* * *

Harry awoke from his dreams and laid on his bed ruminating about what he had seen. He was working on 'putting those pieces together' as the Ginny in his dream had told him to when a small shape ran and jumped on his bed.

"Dad, what are you doing in here? Why is Aunt Hermione in your room? Why isn't she in here with Uncle Ron? Then again, why are there only small beds in here?" James said without taking a breath.

"Well, I am not married to your mum yet. So we don't share a room. Why would Hermione be in here with Ron?" As if James had taken a frying pan and hit Harry upside the head, he understood. Glancing at Ron, who was no longer snoring, but still had his eyes closed, Harry asked, "Are Hermione and Ron married?"

"Of course. Why else would we call Aunt Hermione 'Aunt'?" James said as if Harry was a complete idiot. Harry noticed that Ron had a beaming smile on his face after that comment, even though he was still faking sleep.

"Dad, it's time for breakfast. Will you fix some for me?" James looked at Harry with a sweet puppy-dog look in his brown eyes that suddenly reminded Harry of Ginny when she was trying to declare her innocence as the instigator of a prank. "Please?"

"Is Mrs. Weasley not downstairs?"

"I don't know. Lily and I woke up and went to look for you and Mum. At first, we looked in your room, but only Aunt Hermione and Mum were there. Lily stayed with Mum, but I wanted breakfast." James leaned in close to Harry and whispered, "Between you and me, your breakfasts are better than Mum's. As for the other meals, sorry, but Mum has you beaten hands down."

"I am sure that I have had significantly more practice than your mum at making breakfast. Let me get dressed and we'll go fix it."

Harry quickly dressed while chatting amiably with James about Quidditch and flying. They left Ron smiling contentedly on his bed. Harry knew that as soon as the smell of breakfast hit the attic room, Ron would be downstairs quicker than Hermione heading to the library for a bit of research.

When Harry and James arrived in the kitchen, Harry discovered a note left on the kitchen table from the older Weasleys.

_Children,_

_We have Flooed to Hogwarts to talk to Professor Dumbledore about the twin situation. The makings for breakfast are in the pantry. I have fixed the stove to work for you. If you tap the stove with your wand, it will light so you may cook. Twist your wand clockwise to raise the flame of the burner. Twist counterclockwise to lower it. Tap the stove again to turn it off. DO NOT LET JAMES AND LILY NEAR THE STOVE WHILE IT IS LIT. We'll be back soon._

_Love,_

_Mum and Dad_

"It looks like we are on our own. What would you like for breakfast, James?"

"Oooh, can we have Potter's Special Omelets? Please, Dad?"

"Yeah, Dad. That would be so wicked. Can we please?" Lily added, coming into the kitchen in front of her mother.

"Good morning, Harry. So I hear you are a breakfast connoisseur. Care to share your talents?" Ginny teased.

Harry stood in the middle of the kitchen, looking like Ginny had cast a _Petrificus Totalus_ charm on him. He realized several things in that moment. First, Ginny was gorgeous with her red flowing hair streaming behind her as she came down the stairs. This cozy familial scene was exactly what he had always wanted. Here was his family. He had put the pieces together. Ginny was the one for him. Cho was just a memory now. Ginny was the only one who would ever fit in his life because she knew him and knew what he had experienced with Voldemort.

Ginny crossed to Harry and snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Hello, Harry? Harry?" When Harry's eyes refocused back on her, Ginny continued, "So I hear from our daughter that you are an excellent breakfast cook. What does your future wife have to do to find out what a good catch you are?" Ginny was amazed at how brazen she was, but she refused to go back to being the shy, little girl she was when Harry first came to the Burrow.

Harry pondered this question, rubbing his chin between his forefinger and thumb. "I guess you just need to tell me what you would like for breakfast."

"Mum, we want Potter's Special Omelets. Trust us, they are incredible," James murmured to his mother, coming up beside her. She reached down and ruffled his hair, not that it needed any help being messy.

"All right. We would like Potter's Special Omelets, please," Ginny requested, beaming a huge smile at Harry.

"Okay, what exactly is a Potter's Special Omelet? I mean, I know what an omelet is. I can make those, but what makes it a Potter special?" Harry asked his children.

"Dad, you just put everything that we have that you think would be good into the omelet. That is what makes it special. It is never the same ingredients," Lily answered.

Harry gathered the ingredients on hand to make omelets for everyone. He even got enough for Ron and Hermione who were not downstairs yet and started breaking eggs. Lily and James started to set the table for six.

"Harry, how is it that you are so good at breakfast?" Ginny asked watching her future husband putter around the kitchen making breakfast.

"If you had been making breakfast since you were Lily and James' age, you would be good at it as well," Harry said matter-of-factly as he beat the eggs.

"You're kidding, right? Since you were their age? Who would make a child make breakfast? Did you make breakfast on the stove at their age?" Ginny was horrified.

"Yes. Aunt Petunia would make a child that was not her own."

"It shouldn't matter if you were hers or not. You were a child, Harry," Ginny implored Harry to understand that this was not the way things should be.

"We can't go back and change it, Ginny. I appreciate you getting upset for me." Harry sighed and reached to give Ginny a hug. "Look on the bright side; you and the kids get the benefit of my many years of breakfast cooking."

"Well, when you put it that way…" Ginny trailed off; when she realized that she was in Harry's arms. She marveled at the thought that this was her future husband. _This is not how Michael's arms feel. I feel so safe._ "You'd better get back to cooking or else I am going to think that you are deliberately stalling. Maybe you are not as good a cook as the twins say." Harry dropped his arms from around Ginny and poured in the first omelet. He added cheese, ham, and onion in the mixture.

"Shhh, Mum. Don't make it so that Dad doesn't want to finish. I am looking forward to his omelets. We haven't had one since Sirius was born," James begged his mother.

"Sirius? Who is Sirius?" Ginny and Harry asked at the same time.

"Our baby brother," Lily answered as she laid the napkins out on the table.

Harry and Ginny's mouths both dropped open.

"Dad, your omelet!" James reminded Harry.

"Oh, oh, right." Harry quickly flipped over the eggs and turned it out onto a plate. He recommenced making omelets. Thoughts were flying through Harry's head as he realized that not only did he have two children, but he had three. At least, he thought he only had three.

"Lily, is it just you, James and Sirius?"

"You mean, do I have any other brothers or sisters? No, not yet. I have plenty of cousins, though. However, Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron don't have any kids yet."

"I think it is probably that they are too busy with their goddaughter or perhaps she has scared them so badly that they don't want any kids," Ginny said with a laugh.

"Who is their goddaughter? Oh, Lily," Harry stated as he continued to make more omelets for everyone. "Yes, I can see how she would scare Ron."

"Hey, I resemble that remark! Who is supposed to scare me?" Ron said coming down the stairs with a yawn. "I smelled food. Where's Mum and Dad?"

"Your goddaughter scares you. That's who. Your mum and dad went to Hogwarts to talk to Professor Dumbledore," Harry replied, dishing up an omelet for Ron.

"Since when do you cook?" Ron asked Harry.

"As long as I can remember," Harry responded. Hermione joined the group at this point. When she saw Ron, she turned beet red.

"Yep, she is definitely a Weasley. Look at her turn Weasley red," Ginny smirked. Harry dished up an omelet for Hermione and finished up one for himself. Everyone was quiet during breakfast, thinking of the things they had learned about the future. The twins were looking at the teenagers, wondering how they became the adults the twins knew.

"Why don't we play some Quidditch? Lily and James, do you fly?" Ron asked.

"Of course, we fly. Dad and Mum had us on our first broom on our first birthday. Besides, when your mother was once a Holyhead Harpy Chaser, you're kind of expected to fly well," James said, wrinkling his nose.

Ron's jaw dropped. "Ginny is a professional Quidditch player?"

"Not now, of course. She only played one year since she was pregnant with us during the second season after all of you graduated from Hogwarts," Lily shared.

"I'm a professional Quidditch player and I'm married to Harry? Dreams really do come true, it seems," Ginny muttered under her breath.

They all went to the broomshed for brooms and spent the rest of the morning flying around, playing Quidditch. Hermione was even coaxed up on a broomstick by her goddaughter, who told her she would never get better at flying unless she practiced. Harry and Ginny were especially pleased with how well their children flew. During the course of the morning, Harry kept shooting glances at Ginny. He loved how her hair flew out behind her. Shortly after he made that observation, Ginny bundled her hair up into a ponytail as it was getting in her eyes while she was flying. Harry noticed that he still liked her hair. It seems that no matter what she did, he would love her hair. They finally stopped flying when the older Weasleys returned and called for them.

"Oh, you children looked wonderful flying around," Mrs. Weasley gushed over her children and grandchildren.

"So what did Dumbledore say?" Harry asked.

"He recommended that we try having the children turn the Time-Turner in the other direction," Mr. Weasley told them.

"But you can't go forward through time," Hermione stated.

"Professor Dumbledore is hoping that _you_ solved that problem in the future," Mrs. Weasley smiled at Hermione.

"It won't work, you know," Lily said.

"Why not?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Because when Aunt Hermione created this one, she hadn't figured out how to go forward. That is a separate device. This one only works going backward, whichever way you turn the glass."

"So you're saying…" Hermione started to say before trailing off, a look of concentration on her face.

"If we take Professor Dumbledore's advice, we'll end up further back in time," Lily stated.

"Well, that could further complicate things," Hermione said.

"In that case, then we need to go back to headquarters--all of us," Mr. Weasley declared.

He handed the twins a piece of paper and told them to read and memorize it. "You can read, can't you?"

"We can read some things. Why are you having us read our address? You mean, we're going home?" James asked.

"Are you telling me that we live at that…that…?" Ginny spluttered. Turning to Harry, "What are you thinking?" Ginny glared at Harry.

"Me?! How do you know that it was me that decided for us to live there? I mean, why isn't Sirius living there?" Harry fumed.

"Well, I would _never_ choose to live there," Ginny argued back. Harry stopped for a moment to look at Ginny, who had her hands on her hips, a glare on her face, and was absolutely gorgeous to Harry. He couldn't help but smile at her insistence that he was the one in the wrong. It seemed like at least one person wasn't scared of yelling back at Harry.

"What are you smiling about?" Ginny continued to glare.

"Not what, who. I am smiling at you. You are amazing, Ginny," Harry answered, marveling at her ferocity. Ginny shot him an incredulous look while everyone else was taking in the exchange with a look of amazement on their face.

"Oh, I can see how this could definitely turn into marriage," Mr. Weasley said, herding everyone to the fireplace in the living room to Floo back to Grimmauld Place.


	4. Past and Future Collide

Chapter Four--Future and Past Collide

August 14, 2006--The Burrow

The next morning, Hermione was up early to go into the Department of Mysteries. She Flooed to the Ministry and quickly grabbed the needed device. She had a run-in with a fellow Unspeakable, who questioned her about taking the device out of the complex. Hermione thought quickly and created a story that Ginny and George would have been proud of. After that incident, she hurried out to go back to the Burrow. Luckily for her, Hermione didn't run into anyone else at work that could prevent her from completing her mission.

Once, back at the Burrow, Hermione pulled George into the living room to explain how to work the strange-looking device. It looked like two Time-Turners snapped together along one point of the arc. The hourglasses in the middle were different colors-one green and one red. Each hourglass was surrounded by four concentric rings.

"George, the green hourglass is for going into the past. Turn the outermost ring so that it is perpendicular to the rest of the rings in order to go back years. You said it was eleven years ago, so this part is the same as the regular Time-Turner. When the ring is up, hold it in place and flip the hourglass eleven times. You will appear exactly where you are now. Once you are back in the past, you must snap this clip onto the ring or else you could lose this timeline. The outer ring must stay up at all times on the green side. When you are ready to come home, you do the same thing with the red side that you did with the green side going. DO NOT TAKE OFF THE CLIP until you are back here."

"So why the red and green, Hermione?" Harry asked, coming into the room during the explanation of the device.

"Oh, just a reference to Muggle driving. You can't go into the future--red--without first going into the past--green. So it was a green light into the past," Hermione explained breezily.

"So George, when are you going to get my children?" Harry questioned.

"First, I have to go to your house, Harry," George said.

"Why do you need to go to Potter's Rest? Aren't the twins here at the Burrow?" Harry asked.

"No, by the time I arrive they are at Headquarters, which is where you now live," George stated.

"Not for much longer. Okay, I can see your point. I take it that you're going to arrive there because of all the safety measures that were on Headquarters back then," Harry supposed.

"I have to arrive at Grimmauld Place during the Order meeting about your twins. It's the only way for me to see Dumbledore in time to give him the information he needs," George confirmed.

George left the living room to go up to his room. He needed time to prepare himself to see his twin. George knew that it would be the last time he would ever see his brother. After the Final Battle, he had comforted himself with the notion that at least he would get to see Fred once more as well as Remus and Tonks. Now however…now he really was going to have to deal with the loss of his twin.

After about an hour of sorting through his memories so he would know what to share with Dumbledore, Fred and his younger self, he took a deep breath to steel himself for the journey to come. George knew that he would have to display his normal jovial demeanor or else everyone would think he was a Death Eater in disguise. He loaded up his pockets with Merry Mischief Makers candies that Fred and he had developed right before the Battle at Hogwarts. The candies would help him with his attitude if it got to be too much for him to handle. George made sure he had his wand before going to Harry to make sure that he could safely Apparate to Potter's Rest. Once getting Harry's assurance that he would make it in one piece, he left without telling anyone else.

Arriving at Potter's Rest, George noticed that Kreacher was taking very good care of the place while Harry, Ginny and the family were at The Burrow. He sat on the couch in the drawing room, which Ginny had redecorated to include a family tree of the Weasleys as well as the Potters. He grabbed a nearby book and prepared to wait until it was time to leave.

August 14, 1995--Grimmauld Place

Sirius and Remus were sitting at the kitchen table with a drink in their hands, chatting amiably about the upcoming meeting. They were discussing the apparent need for the sudden Order meeting when green flames appeared in the fireplace. After seeing the older Weasleys come through, they continued their chat. Arthur and Molly were followed by Ron and Hermione, who were arguing as usual. Next, out of the fireplace was James, who skidded on his backside.

"You never remember to step out, instead of slide out. Will you ever learn?" Lily asked, following James out of the Floo.

At the sight of Lily and James, Sirius and Remus both let their glasses slip out of their hands. As the glasses hit the tabletop, an orange-yellow stream of liquid spilled out and trickled over its surface. Oblivious to the mess they had created, Sirius and Remus looked at the kids and then at each other.

"Would you look at that? Prongs Junior has managed to reproduce before us--undoubtedly, with a redhead as well," Sirius started to joke, but then turned serious. "Look at how much the boy looks like James and the girl looks like Lily," he said with pain in his voice.

"That's because I am James and she is Lily," James told them with a quizzical look.

By this time, Harry and Ginny had come through the Floo with Harry tripping as he came in.

"You know, I don't think you will ever get the hang of that, Harry," Ginny said with a laugh.

"Oh, he does. In fact, I didn't know that James had gotten his inability to properly exit from the fireplace from Dad," Lily reassured her mother.

"Merlin, it's true?! Harry, are these your children?" Remus asked. "Wait; are they the reason for the sudden Order meeting? They must have come back in time if they are your children. You definitely couldn't have had them when you were--what--nine?"

"Yes, they are our children from the future--Ginny's and mine. These two are Lily and James. Lily and James, this is Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. You probably aren't used to them being so young, are you?" Harry introduced.

"Uncle Sirius? Uncle Remus? The original Marauders?" With that, James had a look of absolute shock and admiration on his face.

"Excuse the nitwit. What he is trying to say…" At this, Lily elbowed her brother in the side, "is it is nice to meet you. We have heard tons of stories, but it couldn't possibly compare to the real thing," Lily said, rolling her eyes at James.

"You've never met us before?" Sirius questioned.

"No," James finally got over his shock at being presented with his idols. "Dad and Mum won't tell us what happened to either of you. Mum is generally the one who tells us stories of the two of you, but Uncle George and Aunt Andromeda also share stories."

"Whenever Dad talks about the three of you, he gets the saddest look on his face," Lily continues to explain. "Mum just gives us that look which says that if we say anymore then it's our heads."

"But Dad gets that look whenever he thinks about his Hogwarts days. He won't tell us too many stories about his past. Dad never mentions where he grew up before Hogwarts," James explained.

"Well, I am sure that your father has every reason to not tell you about his past. You are rather young to hear some stories," Ginny interjected. "Now, children, we need to find something for you to do. Hmm…"

"Dumbledore suggested that Kreacher especially not see the children as we haven't figured out how we're going to send them back. If by some means Kreacher were able to share information with Death Eaters, then Voldemort would be after the children instantly. He would think they would have knowledge of the future," Mr. Weasley explained.

"Not anything that would help him," Ginny said, turning to her dad.

"Voldemort wouldn't care, Ginny. He would still want Harry's children. Don't you see--they're proof that Harry defeats him," Sirius explained. "Remus cast a Disillusionment Charm on the twins so I can order Kreacher to stay with Buckbeak until tomorrow morning."

Sirius waited until Remus cast the charm before calling Kreacher and ordering him to stay with Buckbeak. Apparently Sirius did this often as the house-elf kept muttering about staying with that horrible beast again under his breath.

"Now, as for something for the twins to do, they can stay here with Sirius and me. That way we can get to know them. In fact, I have a question for Lily. You said earlier, when your dad talks about the three of us, who's the third--James, your grandfather?" Remus remarked.

"No, although Dad does get sad when talking of our grandparents too. But he especially gets sad when he talks about you and Tonks, your wife," Lily responded.

"My wife?!" Remus spluttered, turning white as a sheet.

"Merlin, I never figured you for a cradle robber, Moony," Sirius teased with a huge bark of laughter.

"Oh shut up Padfoot," Remus hissed. Turning to Lily and James, "If you've never met me, then how do you know that Tonks is my wife?"

"Teddy, of course," the twins chorused.

"Excuse me, but who is Teddy?" Harry jumped into the conversation.

"Your godson--Uncle Remus and Aunt Tonks' son. He lives with Aunt Andromeda and is so cool. His hair changes color, but his favorite is a blue shade," James extolled.

"Like mother, like son, apparently," Ginny said with a laugh. "Of course, Tonks' favorite color is pink."

"If you are sure about spending time with the twins…" Harry trailed off.

"We'll be glad to spend some quality time with my grand-godchildren or is it god-grandchildren? Help me out, Remus," Sirius pleaded.

Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her up the stairs. Ginny was so shocked by Harry's actions that she went without a sound. Harry pulled her into the drawing room. Ginny finally found her voice.

"Harry, what is it?"

"Um, I wanted to talk to you. Ginny, have you ever had a dream that helped you figure out something that has puzzled you?" Harry questioned.

"Well, yes, I guess. I once dreamt about Wizard's Chess and the next day I beat Percy using the move I dreamt about. Is that what you mean?" Ginny looked at Harry with a puzzled look. "Do you think dreams offer us glimpses of the future?"

"No, in this case, I think they can provide insight into the past."

"What are you talking about?" Ginny exclaimed.

"I had a dream last night that was very…illuminating, I guess," Harry ran his hand through his hair while looking everywhere but at Ginny. He started to pace. Ginny knew from those motions that he was very nervous. "In my dream, well, you were there. You told me to put the pieces together."

"What pieces? What else was in the dream?" Ginny asked softly, scared to get her hopes up about what Harry might be telling her.

"Ginny, the dream replayed certain memories I have of you. I've been doing a lot of thinking about why those specific memories. I think it's because…" Harry looked up at her. "These memories tell me something special about you."

"Me? Special? Harry, I'm just Ginny, your best mate's little sister. That's always how you have looked at me, remember?" Ginny said with a self-deprecating laugh. Ginny knew that she had to present this remote, unfeeling front or else she could be crushed by his normal lack of sensitivity.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry. I've been such a prat, a git. Nothing I can say will make up for the years of ignoring you. But I am sorry," Harry apologized.

"Yes, well, you were saying something about memories. Honestly, how could you dream about memories you didn't have?" Ginny thought that Harry couldn't possibly have memories of her. He never noticed her at all.

"I do have several memories of you. I can't believe how blind I've been. The one person who can make all my dreams come true has been staring me in the face ever since I went to Hogwarts. "

"What do you mean--went to Hogwarts? I wasn't there your first year."

"No, you weren't there, but you were on the platform when I left. The first memory last night showed me the platform again. The dream was like I was in a Pensieve. Do you know what that is?" Seeing Ginny shake her head, Harry went on. "A Pensieve is a basin where memories can be viewed. I went into Dumbledore's by accident last year."

Harry stopped for a minute to remember what all he had learned from that trip into the Pensieve.

"Anyway, when you are in the memory in the Pensieve, you are like a… an invisible observer, I guess, is the best way to describe it. You can see and hear everything, but you can't affect anything. It was like this in my dream. I watched you and your family heading towards the platform. I saw that you spotted me first with my trolley. You didn't know who I was, did you?" Harry said.

"No, I didn't. I saw a dark, messy-haired boy with glasses who I considered cute," Ginny said with a blush.

"That's what I figured out from the memory. You liked me for me, Harry, not the Boy-Who-Lived. Each memory thereafter told me something else about you. The scene at Flourish and Blotts Bookshop showed how much you really understood me even though you hadn't been around me that much. The Chamber of Secrets displayed how strong and brave you were. The last memory I visited showed me how we can laugh together."

As Harry was explaining his dream, Ginny's blush kept getting darker and darker until she was redder than a tomato. "But the final piece that I had to put together was another visit to the Mirror of Erised."

"Mirror of Erised? What's that?"

"It is a mirror that shows you your heart's desire. When I looked into the real Mirror during first year, I saw my family--my parents, the rest of the Potters and Evans family. At the end of my dream, it was a slightly different reflection. In the Mirror was my family, but that also included you, the twins and a baby," Harry looked at Ginny very intently. "I know I haven't been the best friend towards you that I could have been, but I am asking for a chance to be friends and possibly something more with you. I think those were the pieces that I was supposed to put together--that you, Ginny Weasley, are only one who could possibly put up with and understand me."

Ginny's heart leapt with joy. Here was the boy who she had loved so long, asking her to have a relationship with him.

"I think it is obvious that I grant you that chance, Harry. Our children _are_ in the other room with Sirius and Remus," Ginny said with a bright smile at Harry.

Harry moved toward Ginny. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug for the second time that day. Ginny was pressed against Harry with her head on Harry's shoulder facing left. Ginny loved the feel of his arms around her again. She closed her eyes and wished she could stay right here in this spot forever.

Harry relished the feel of Ginny in his arms. _She fits perfectly in my arms. How could I not have known that?_ Harry thought. Harry looked down at Ginny while running his fingers through her hair. At the feel of his hands in her hair, Ginny stepped back a half-step to look up at Harry and realized exactly how close Harry's lips were to hers. Simultaneously, without another thought, both sets of lips grew closer and closer. There was no awkwardness, just the soft feel of lips on lips. Ginny's arms went up around Harry's neck as they pressed their lips and bodies together.

Suddenly, a loud pop much like the sound of Apparition sounded throughout the room.

"Ah, young love. Oh, to be back at that tender stage again!" George exclaimed.


	5. Return to Sender

* * *

Chapter Five--Return to Sender

August 14, 1995--Grimmauld Place

Fred and George burst through the door of the drawing room with wands drawn to see Harry and Ginny jump apart and an older-looking version of one of them standing in the middle of the room.

"Ah, young love. Oh, to be back at that tender stage again!" the older George exclaimed.

"Who are you?" Fred asked.

"And how did you get here?" the younger George added.

"I'm you or rather you're me. I don't know how to put it. I got here using this device that Hermione created for the Department of Mysteries. Oh, right, I have to put the clip on now or else the twins and I can't get back," George tried to explain. He pulled the clip out of the pocket of his robes and attached it to the green side of the Time-Turner. Next he slipped the apparatus back in his pocket.

"That doesn't look like the Time-Turner that Lily and James used," Ginny accused, pulling out her wand while Harry did the same.

"That's because the Turner that they had was only meant to go back in time. This one can also return you to where you came from as long as you go back the first time. Don't ask me to explain it all. Just ask Hermione in eleven years, will you?" George said wearily.

"Which twin are you? Fred or George?" Harry questioned.

"George."

"If you are me, then prove it," the younger George demanded.

"You turned Ron's teddy bear into a spider when we were five," the older George said.

"Most of Gryffindor knows that story. Tell me something only I would know," the younger George insisted.

"Okay. When I was six, I decapitated Ginny's Harry Potter doll," the older George remarked with a smirk on his face.

"YOU DID WHAT?! I loved that doll. How could you…" Ginny ranted and then stopped realizing that Harry was still there. She immediately blushed and turned away from Harry.

"Now you've done it. Payback is you-know-what when it comes from Ginny," the younger George exclaimed. "He is me. I never told anyone that, not even Fred. Wait one--what did you do to my ear?!"

"Funny story that--insanely jealous husband--a very pretty blonde... Now where are my godson and his terror of a sister?" George asked.

"They're with Sirius and Remus. Why do you call Lily a terror?" Harry asked with a puzzled look.

"Because she's even more devious than Ginny. Mix Hermione's brains, Ginny's deviousness and your penchant for trouble and you have one Lily Ginevra Potter. She has even managed to prank me, _the Prank Master_. The stories I could tell you…" George remarked. "Anyway, I must see Dumbledore. Fred…younger self, come along. You both need to be in on this. We'll let the two lovebirds enjoy a few more moments alone."

The two Georges and Fred went to find Dumbledore. The older George knew that he would be downstairs in the kitchen for the meeting of the Order. As the trio entered the room, Mrs. Weasley jumped up to shoo them back upstairs.

"You aren't old enough yet. Now go, go." Mrs. Weasley hadn't noticed the older George yet.

"Mum, how can you say that? I am--what?--twenty-eight! Besides, I already know what's going to happen at this meeting or at least the beginning of it," he said. Mrs. Weasley looked at him with wide eyes. George stepped into the kitchen and immediately everything in the room ground to a halt. Mr. Weasley let out a gasp while James produced a loud whoop of joy, running to his godfather.

"I knew you would come!" James exclaimed, throwing his arms around George.

"Did Aunt Hermione give you the new device, Uncle George?" Lily asked.

"Yes, I came to bring you two scamps home," George said pointedly. "But first, I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore. Sir, can we go to your office at Hogwarts? I have some things that I need to share with you."

"How can we be sure that you're who you say you are?" Mad-Eye Moody demanded.

"The twins, Lily and James, know me. I've already been tested by myself and passed. What more would you like? Do you honestly think I could get in here if I wasn't trustworthy? This place is protected by the Fidelius Charm. The only reason I could get inside is because my younger self knew where it was. It didn't matter that this house is protected by different charms in my time," George sighed wearily. "Please, there isn't that much time before the twins and I need to leave in order to maintain the timeline. Please Professor, we need to use your Pensieve."

"All right. Let's go. We can Floo to my office," Dumbledore said.

"Professor, Fred and my younger self need to be a part of this too. It concerns them and well, this George has to know everything so that I can know everything."

"You two come as well then. Anyone else need to be invited?" Dumbledore asked with his distinctive twinkle in his eye.

"No, but if everyone could wait here, it's very important that everyone stay. Otherwise, our problem won't be fixed," George responded.

The quartet Flooed to the headmaster's office to use the Pensieve. George pulled out all of the memories that he knew they would need to see. The group came out of the Pensieve very sober and thoughtful.

"That was insightful," Professor Dumbledore stated, looking like he had aged twenty years since they went into the Pensieve.

"Is there no way to change anything?" the younger George said.

"No," the older George said woefully. "If we could manage to save Fred--I wasn't with him when he died--then who knows what else would change? Harry was there when Fred was killed. What if we save my brother, only to lose Harry? Then where would our world be? Filled with hate, distrust, prejudice. No, the only way is clear. We must keep this timeline intact because it's the only one that we KNOW for certain where Harry will triumph. As much as I wish and pray and long for things to be different, I know they can't be," George said with tears shining in his eyes.

"But George, things have changed. Harry has discovered feelings for Ginny already. That didn't happen last time. According to the twins and your memories, Harry and Ginny didn't get together until Harry's sixth year. How are we going to fix that?" Fred asked questioningly.

"We have to _Obliviate_ everyone who has seen the twins or myself. The only ones who can remember anything of this trip are Sirius and the three of us," George explained.

"Why shouldn't we also include Sirius in the charm?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Because he doesn't live much longer. It won't change anything to leave him with his memories," George said. "Now I believe that it's time for the twins and me to return. We need to cast the charm on the Order, all of our family and most especially Harry and Ginny. Professor, if you'll take care of the Order and my family, I'll handle Harry and Ginny."

The group made their way back to Headquarters where Dumbledore asked the twins to leave with their older Uncle George while everyone else remained in the kitchen for the Order meeting. Both sets of twins followed the older George up to the drawing room where Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny were waiting.

"It is time for us to go back now. Children, say your goodbyes," the older George told them.

"Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron. I guess this is it for now Mum, Dad," Lily said, taking their hands. "I don't know what to say since hopefully I will see you in a few seconds. I'm so glad that I got to see you at this age."

James didn't know what to say so he just settled for hugs from everyone. Ron shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Hermione had tears rolling down her face as she hugged James. She pulled Lily into a long embrace then.

"Thank you for the glimpses into the future Lily. I look forward to spending time together someday," Hermione told her goddaughter.

Looking at her Uncle Ron, Lily whispered to Hermione, "I see what you mean about the emotional range of a teaspoon." When Hermione just nodded and looked at Ron, Lily went to her mum.

Ginny gave each of her children a Molly Weasley-style hug with tears pouring down her face. "Oh, I know it is silly, but I love you both already so much. Be safe in your trip home." She stepped back to let Harry say goodbye last.

Harry gathered both of his children into his arms. He had tears shining in his eyes, but he refused to shed them. He whispered to the twins, "I love you. Thank you for bringing me hope and showing me love as only children can." Harry stood up and stepped back to Ginny, putting an arm around her shoulders as she turned her face into his chest.

"Time to be off. Fred, George, don't forget anything. Time for you two to go outside the room, if you please," the older George said, pulling the device and his wand out of his pocket. Fred and George left the drawing room. "Hopefully, we'll see you in the future in just a minute. Oh, one last thing, _Obliviate Temporalis_." With that, George spun the hourglass on the red side, eleven turns. There was a pop and they were gone. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all looked at each other, wondering what the pop was and why the girls were crying. They all just shrugged and went down to the kitchen only to be scurried out by Mrs. Weasley.

* * *

August 14, 2006--Potter's Rest (formerly known as Grimmauld Place)

The twins and George arrived back with a loud pop. Harry and Ginny rushed into the drawing room. Harry grabbed both of his twins up in his arms, hugging them tightly.

"Don't you ever play with things that you don't know what they do," Harry scolded his children. "You scared your mother and me. I don't know what we would have done without you."

"Well, you know, it's all Aunt Hermione's fault that she left the Turner where I could get it. I mean, who leaves devices like that within reach of children?" James tried to look innocently at his dad, who was not buying it.

"That does not mean that you will not be punished," Ginny informed her children with the look that only mothers could give. "In your rooms! Think about what it is you've done. We will discuss it later." The twins quickly scampered out of the room, afraid of what their mother would do if they failed to follow her instructions.

"_Finite Oblivium_," George waved his wand at Harry and Ginny.

"What did you just do, George?" Harry said shaking his head as if waking up.

"Just allowed you to have your memories back of when the twins went back in time."

Harry thought back to the summer before fifth year. He remembered what happened with the twins. Harry looked at his wife and smiled at the look of amazement on her face.

"You know Ginny, Cho Chang wasn't my first kiss, love. You were!"


End file.
